Schackle-seal.



PATBNTED AUG. 6, 1907.

`L. S. FLATAU.

SHACKLE SEAL.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov. 5, 190e.-

vNo. 862,149.

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No. 862,149. PATBNTED AUG. 6, 1907.

Lam/HAU. SHAGKLE SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1906.

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UNITED lSTATES PATENT OEEIOE.

LOUIS S. FLATAU, OF ST. LOUIS,

To all whom it 'may concern: Be it known that I, Louis MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN P. GRUET, JR.,

OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHACKLE-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 5,

1906. Serial No. 342,095.

S. FLATAU, a citizen of the in the county of have invented l I certain new and useful Improvements in Shackle- Seals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in shackleseals. Its objects are to provide for the ready or expeditious application of the seal,

for forming the shackle and to a simple, effective and ecothe use of ordinary wire accomplish that end in nomic manner.

Said invention consists of mentalities substantially as and specifically pointed out In the accompanying ferred embodiment of my spective view thereof in it Fig. 2 is a view showing it ready for Fig. 3 is a view with one side of the sealing the wire. member removed. Fig. 4

duced through alining openings drawings illustrating the preinvention-Figure l is a permore particularly with certain features or instruhereinafter fully disclosed by the claims.

s final, effective position.

sealing77 or fastenis a vertical section proor apertures of the latter, and Fig. 5 is a section thereof produced at right angles to the plane of the aforesaid section and through the additional alining apertures thereof.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same taken through all of the alining apertures or openings of the seal-member.

In carrying out my invention, ing or seal-member l preferably of tin, its general outline, and which may be of the I suitably form a casand circular in minimum cross-sectional area and lightness, and adapted to have imparted thereto any desired characters or initials suggestive of its ownership or other data; as is usual in l this class of contrivances.

I prefer to form the shackle (2) for suitably suspending or applying the seal-member or device for use, of ordinary wire, in contradistinction to strip o r flat metal commonly used, among purpose. In order to otherattaching media, for that provide for utilizing such for forming the shackle as stated, I provide or make the casing or receptacle l for shackle, ings 3, 4, preferably two i two in lateral alinement, in said casing or seal-member,

a number of figures of the single lateral aperture may the reception of said wire with a number of alining apertures or openvertical alinement and the perimetric edge of as clearly disclosed by f drawing, although only a be provided in lieu of two such apertures, as will presently be seen, Said shackle-wire 2, being prefera itself as at 5, is initially passed bly twisted or looped upon through alining apertures in the casing or seal-member I as at 3 and 4, as shown by Fig. 2 and then through the staple or eye and the hasp-opening of a car-door equipment stance, or other object upon use the device. The wire,

for inwhich it may be desired to being returned upon itself ywith ink, this latter is passed through one of said apertures as 4, alongside of the previously passed portion thereof, it then, however, being fmally passed out through either of the lateral apertures or openings 3 or 4 with this end left suitably projecting therethrough. Byvnow suitably turning the seal-member or casing continuously until the projecting end-portion of the wire disappears from view thereinto, said portion will be wound or twisted upon the previously twisted portion thereof within the sealmember thus resulting in effectively fastening together the thus formed wire-strands, as against the possibility of their separation and consequently of releasing or removing the seal-member, however much it may be turned or manipulated, making it necessary to break or destroy the latter in order to unseal the same.

It is obvious that the wire-shackle may be readily bent or folded upon the seal-member after assembling the same ready for use to guard against their separation one from the other or displacement, when shipping the same.

Among the many uses for which used and localities where employed, the following may be enumerated: sealing and tying money or coin sacks for banks; mail-bags or pouches; meat-sacks from refrigerators wherein an authorized inspector seals the same; and all electric meters, also upon railroad boxcars.

The parts of the seal-member or closure are put together by machinery, being double-seamed as is common in making tin-articles, and said closure or seal-member may be made in suitable dimensions for the reception, as above intimated, of the required indicia7 as for example, the name upon one side and any number upon the opposite side by means of steel or rubber letters, being very commonly used in other like purposes.

this seal may be marking seals for railroad cars and I claiml. A shackle-seal, comprising a seal-member or closure having opposite or alining apertures or openings and a lateral aperture and an attaching or shackle-wire adapted for passage through said alining apertures, with its returned portion passed through one of said alining apertures and then passed through said lateral aperture, said seal-member adapted to be manipulated for the twisting together of' said wire upon itself.

2. A shackle-seal, comprising a seal-member or closure provided with vertically alining apertures and laterally alining apertures, and a shackle-Wire passed through the iirst referred to alining apertures and looped upon itself, with its returned portion passed out through either of the alininglateral apertures, said seal-member adapted to be manipulated for twisting said wire upon itself.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to' this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS S. FLATAU.

Witnesses z T. J. Hmmm', O. L. Boswnm.. 

